Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology Nancy Long Sieber, Ph.D. December 10, 2012.
Pediatric gastrointestinal disease: Pathophysiology, diagnosis and management
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PRINT AND MEDIA REVIEWS Lawrence S. Friedman, M.D. Print and Media Review Editor Gastrointestinal Unit, Blake 456D Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, Massachusetts 02114 Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Management. Edited by Robert Wyllie and Jeffrey S. Hyams. 832 pp. $155.00. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylva- nia, 1999. ISBN 0721674615. This second edition textbook was written by the editors and 86 colleagues who are experts in the field of pediatric gastroenterology. The editors have successfully attained their aim for the book, which was to provide an update to the first edition published in 1993, incorporating the many new methods of diagnosis and treatment that have evolved since then. They note that in responding to size constraints, they have reshaped their text by incorporating sections on anatomy and physiology into pertinent clinical chapters and by remov- ing sections on specific pediatric procedures. The scope of the second edition has been broadened by adding several chapters on pediatric liver disease. The 7 sections and 58 chapters cover a broad range of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition topics. The first section on common clinical problems, such as chronic abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, is especially helpful. The next 5 sections include logically ordered chapters on diseases related to the 5 major organs of the gastrointestinal tract: esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, liver and bile ducts, and pancreas. Four chapters related to nutrition are included in the final section. The quality of the illustrations, figures, and black and white photographs is uniformly high. For the most part, the illustra- tions are easy to read and do not duplicate the text. I found the index to be comprehensive and user-friendly. As is often the case when chapters are contributed by many authors, the style among chapters varies considerably, even with regard to the organization of topic headings. The length of chapters and number of references cited for clinically compa- rable topics also vary fairly widely. In general, the reference lists are current, but some chapters could benefit from updating and a more selective use of citations. Bottom Line: This book should be of use to clinicians, residents, and students interested in pediatric disorders. JOHN SNYDER, M.D. Department of Pediatrics University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, California Prognosis and Outcomes in Surgical Disease. By Daniel P. McKellar, Richard B. Reiling, and Ben Eiseman. 465 pp. $85.00. Quality Medical Publishing, St. Louis, Missouri, 1999. ISBN 1576261018. Outcome research and assessment is currently a very popular format for presenting medical data. In this textbook, Drs. McKellar, Reiling, and Eiseman have applied a simple and diagrammatic approach to surgical diseases in an attempt to allow surgeons, residents, and family practitioners to inform patients of expected outcomes in an easily explainable format. The breadth of the text includes all aspects of surgery, but this review is confined to the section on the alimentary tract. In 41 sections, the text covers all basic problems in gastrointestinal surgery. Accompanying each flow chart is approximately one page of information which comments on the various aspects of the decision tree. At the end of each section there is an outcome assessment which gathers the latest published information regarding outcomes of differing treat- ment courses. I commend the authors for their diligence in summarizing each surgical process in one or two pages of text. I found the references as up to date as possible, particularly in areas where the data are limited. On the other hand, for the same reasons that the book succeeds, it is also slightly lacking. For example, I did not believe that there was enough information given to explain various decisions in the flowcharts. Moreover, despite extensive reference sets at the end of each chapter, at times the flowcharts are difficult to interpret. Furthermore, the text is rather cumbersome to use and difficult to carry; it will not fit on a bookshelf in a conventional way. Finally, there were differences in style between individual chapters; some chapters were much more informative than others, and some topics did not lend themselves readily to a flowchart. Bottom Line: This textbook accomplishes its stated goals and would be a very good resource for medical students or general practitioners. In its current state, however, I do not believe it is a very good text for practicing surgeons or gastroenterologists because the information presented is not extensive enough. DAVID L. BERGER, M.D. Department of Surgery Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, Massachusetts GASTROENTEROLOGY 2000;119:273
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Transcript of Pediatric gastrointestinal disease: Pathophysiology, diagnosis and management
PRINT AND MEDIA REVIEWSLawrence S. Friedman, M.D.
Print and Media Review EditorGastrointestinal Unit, Blake 456DMassachusetts General HospitalBoston, Massachusetts 02114
Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis andManagement. Edited by Robert Wyllie and Jeffrey S. Hyams.832 pp. $155.00. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylva-nia, 1999. ISBN 0721674615.
This second edition textbook was written by the editors and86 colleagues who are experts in the field of pediatricgastroenterology. The editors have successfully attained theiraim for the book, which was to provide an update to the firstedition published in 1993, incorporating the many newmethods of diagnosis and treatment that have evolved sincethen. They note that in responding to size constraints, theyhave reshaped their text by incorporating sections on anatomyand physiology into pertinent clinical chapters and by remov-ing sections on specific pediatric procedures. The scope of thesecond edition has been broadened by adding several chapterson pediatric liver disease.
The 7 sections and 58 chapters cover a broad range ofpediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition topics.The first section on common clinical problems, such as chronicabdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, is especially helpful.The next 5 sections include logically ordered chapters ondiseases related to the 5 major organs of the gastrointestinaltract: esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, liver andbile ducts, and pancreas. Four chapters related to nutrition areincluded in the final section.
The quality of the illustrations, figures, and black and whitephotographs is uniformly high. For the most part, the illustra-tions are easy to read and do not duplicate the text. I found theindex to be comprehensive and user-friendly.
As is often the case when chapters are contributed by manyauthors, the style among chapters varies considerably, evenwith regard to the organization of topic headings. The length ofchapters and number of references cited for clinically compa-rable topics also vary fairly widely. In general, the reference listsare current, but some chapters could benefit from updating anda more selective use of citations.
Bottom Line: This book should be of use to clinicians,residents, and students interested in pediatric disorders.
JOHN SNYDER, M.D.Department of PediatricsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan Francisco, California
Prognosis and Outcomes in Surgical Disease. By Daniel P. McKellar,Richard B. Reiling, and Ben Eiseman. 465 pp. $85.00. QualityMedical Publishing, St. Louis, Missouri, 1999. ISBN1576261018.
Outcome research and assessment is currently a very popularformat for presenting medical data. In this textbook, Drs.McKellar, Reiling, and Eiseman have applied a simple anddiagrammatic approach to surgical diseases in an attempt toallow surgeons, residents, and family practitioners to informpatients of expected outcomes in an easily explainable format.The breadth of the text includes all aspects of surgery, but thisreview is confined to the section on the alimentary tract.
In 41 sections, the text covers all basic problems ingastrointestinal surgery. Accompanying each flow chart isapproximately one page of information which comments on thevarious aspects of the decision tree. At the end of each sectionthere is an outcome assessment which gathers the latestpublished information regarding outcomes of differing treat-ment courses. I commend the authors for their diligence insummarizing each surgical process in one or two pages of text. Ifound the references as up to date as possible, particularly inareas where the data are limited.
On the other hand, for the same reasons that the booksucceeds, it is also slightly lacking. For example, I did notbelieve that there was enough information given to explainvarious decisions in the flowcharts. Moreover, despite extensivereference sets at the end of each chapter, at times the flowchartsare difficult to interpret. Furthermore, the text is rathercumbersome to use and difficult to carry; it will not fit on abookshelf in a conventional way. Finally, there were differencesin style between individual chapters; some chapters were muchmore informative than others, and some topics did not lendthemselves readily to a flowchart.
Bottom Line: This textbook accomplishes its stated goalsand would be a very good resource for medical students orgeneral practitioners. In its current state, however, I do notbelieve it is a very good text for practicing surgeons orgastroenterologists because the information presented is notextensive enough.
DAVID L. BERGER, M.D.Department of SurgeryMassachusetts General HospitalBoston, Massachusetts
GASTROENTEROLOGY 2000;119:273
